Process of making forms



' Julie 2, 1942.

*s. P. LOV E LL, PROCESS OF MAKING FORMS Filed May 20, 1940 Patented June 2, 1942 [UNITE STATES; PATE NT OFFICE PROCESS OFMAKING FORMS Stanley P. Lovell, Newton to Beckwith' Manufact N. 11., a corporation of Center, Mass, asslgnor uring Compan Dover,

New Hampshire Application May 20, 1940, Serial No. 336,187

- .16 Claims.

This invention consists in a novel process of making dress forms, tailors dummies for window display, protectors for athletes, and the like, a

from living or other models and includes within its scope a novel thermoplastic sheet or strip material by the use of which the process may be advantageously put into practice. Attempts have been made heretofore to employ plaster of Paris,

wet papier-mach, glued paper tape and other materials for this purpose, but none of these materials is entirely satisfactory in that they be come distorted when exposed to humid conditions or they are fragile and easily damaged, or when made from living models, they impose a heavy burden on the person being fitted. For example, plaster of Paris is easily cracked or chipped;

papier-mach and gummed tape are distorted by moisture, and the discomfort to a living model achieved by employing in the construction of the form athemoplastic sheet material capable of being readily conformed to any desired shape when rendered plastic by means of moderate heat, and having the capacity of hardening and stiffening to retain the desired molded form upon being cooled to room temperature. 7

The essential qualities of the material employed in carrying out my invention are that it should be available in sheet or strip form capable of being rendered limp or plastic by moderate heat, that it should remain in that condition for an appreciable interval .and throughout an appreciable range of temperature so that it may be molded closely to the body of a living model without discomfort, that it should then stiffen in its molded form by cooling to room temperature, and finally that in its stifiened form it should be light," tough and resilient and not subject to distortion if moistened.

I have further discovered that a satisfactory material may be provided by blending and plasticizing vegetable wax, rubber, beeswax, and resin and then spreading or distributing the material in sheet form with a fabric base or backing.

An important featureof my invention consists in compounding this material so that it has the property of becoming-softened or plastic within is to make a. narrow range of critical temperature, while it stifiens slowly, and only by cooling through a considerable range of temperature below its softening point. For example, it may soften be tween temperatures of 125 F. to 140 and harden between 80 F.-and 100 F.

For my fibrousbaseI may employ a cotton woven cloth such as flannel or a. felted cloth but I prefer to employ a knitted material. I have found desirable for this purpose tubular knit goods of a count of 34/36 K. P., weighing approximately eight yards to .the pound. Such a knitted base has great stretch from edge to edge, but little stretch lengthwise of the goods. It may be immersed in the molten bath described hereinafter and thereupon acquires a load of the saturant and upon removal and cooling forms a solid flexible sheet of substantially uniform thickness. When cooled the resulting sheet is very tough as a whole although its coating is locally brittle so that the sheet crackles slightly upon being worked between the fingers. Its surface is fairly smooth although itmay show traces of the enclosed textile structure. For example, if a knitted fabricbase' is used the surface of the composite sheet will have'therein a date table indication of the longitudinal ribs of the b se.

" important and novel feature of my invention consists in the employment of a double or multiple ply knitted fabric as a base for the thermoplastic sheet of my invention, andas a base for the resulting dress form, I prefer :to utilizes. tu-

bular knitted fabric which may be doubled and, flattened-without cutting and so present no raw edges. 'The double ply material has many advantages. In the first place, it is highly elastic and tends to preserve its sheet form at all times.

As a result of this characteristic the fabric maybe drawn when applying the impregnating compound, or tensioned later in use without constricting objectionably or pulling into stringy form. Moreover, it has no tendency to unravel,

it stretches and contracts without wrinkling in the necessary areas in being conformed to the human figure, and under all conditions carries its impregnating compound smoothly. Further, when the two plies are united in the finished dress form they strengthen the form wood effect.

In treating the multiple ply fabric base the impregnating compound is deposited throughout the plies themselves, between the-plies and as a surface coating upon the plies. The intermediate cementitious layer is 'eifective to recement with a 'ply the two plies together when the sheet, material hardens on the model.

The sheet above described is thermoplastic in its response to heat. It may be softened and rendered temporarily limp, adhesive or tacky and plastic by being moderately heated, as in a steam plate to a temperature of 125 F. to 140 F.. In this condition it may be conformed accuratelyto' the contour of the model and this operation is facilitated by the fact that in cooling the sheet remains plastic throughout an appreciable range of temperature before stiffening at a tempera-- ture below'that at which it had been softened. To express it diiferentlyz-The sheet does not become stiff when cooled to thepoint at which it initially became pliable on the steam plate, but

remains soft and pliable in cooling'down to and substantially below that point, thus afi'ording opportunity for the conforming operation to be carried out or continued until the stiffening takes place at substantially lower temperature. When cooled to room temperature, however, the sheet hardens and stifiens in its conformed condition upon the model into an integral shell which is stiff, resilient and impervious to moisture. It will be noted also that the hardening or stiffen ing step of my temperature change alone and that in this step no solvent vapor which may beinflammable or possibly toxic to a living model is evolved from the plastic material.

My preferredformula includes sisting of thermoplastic as distinguished from able shape, warmed on a steam table or on a hot dry plate and applied to the body of the model. The pattern may poncho, that is to say, a sheet with a head hole in it and two side portions which may be brought down front and back. Alternatively the warmed plastic sheet may be applied as a front and back segment. In any case complete and accurate conformation of the contour of the model is readily brought about, especially since the knitted base will stretch and contract in the areas inwhich this is necessary, and the plastic form will thus reproduceaccurately the reverse curves, of the waistand hips.

It is desirable that the impregnating or indurating compound .be self-cementing or adhesive'when heated and the formula above disclosed results in a material which does fuse or unite to itself when warmed. Accordingly, in

applying the plastic sheet material to the model,

' the. edges may be overlapped and will become improved process is affected by united without further treatment. After the torso of the model has beenencased the conformed sheets will harden collectively into a shell within five or ten minutes in cooling to room temperature. When this is accomplished the shell may be divided into sections by cutting with shears and the 'sections removed from the model. These sections may be subsequently refastened along the lines of severance by any suitable means such as a zipper fastener 'or adhesive tape. The resulting form which is a faithful replica of the model, enlarged by the Parts Candelilla wax 30 Rubber- 4 -10 Beeswax 10% Resin or ros j thermosetting resins, among which I enumerate F polysterene, polyvinylacetate, butyl, methacrylate,.and for purposes of economy these .or any one of them may be blended with resin;

In makingup the foregoing formula the preferred procedure is to mill ,the rubber,. upon.

heated rolls with the ralnl'jielilla "wax,v adding to the mass in the mill, if desired, any suitable pigs ment'ation, such .as zinc or titanium oxides, iron oxide, or the like. The beeswax meanwhile.

reduced tolmolten condition and the resin or resin-rosinicompound added thereto; The rubber-candelilla mixture mixture is. then dissolved in the moltenfbees'wax-resin solution at the molten te f perature, that is to say, in the neighborhood of 320 F. and the whole mixture stirred until 'it becomes apparently a homogeneous blend, Another valuable characteristic of the impregnating or indurating compound is that the resulting dress form is pinable to a remarkable degree, that is to say the material is somewhat clinging or self-healing so that dress parts may be pinned to the form again. and again in subtic sheet may now be cut into patterns of suit-.

Fig. 4 is a view thickness of the sheet material, may now be mounted upon an upright stand and is ready for The accompanying drawing is illustrative of one manner in which the process of my invention maybe put into practice, and in this:

1' is a view vin perspective showing the plastic sheet material as applied to the torso of a model,

Fig.2"is a view in elevation showing the hardened shell split and removed from the model,

Fig. 3- is aview in elevation showing the complete form, and

sheet material.

Referring first-to Fig. 4; the knitted fabric backing I0 is represented as atubular body flattened so that it presents two contiguous plies with its outer margins formed by the fold of the material. When this'material is drawn through a bath of the hot .plastic compound it becomes thoroughly impregnated with it and acquires a surface coating on both outer faces as well as suflicient material between the two plies to cement the latter together. The surface coating u is indicated in Fig. 4with somewhat exag-- gerated thickness for illustrative purposes. In practice the coating is continuous but not so thick as to obscure completely the ribbed struc-i ture of the knitted fabric.

As suggested in Fig. 1 the sheet material may be cut into two elongated panel sections with the ribs of the fabric running crosswise so that the maximum stretch of the fabric. is lengthwiseof the model. The panels are rendered plastic and tacky by being heated on a steam table to perhaps F. In this condition they are applied one by one to the torso of the model which has previously been protected with a close fitting garment or vest I! of wool or jersey. The heated panel sections become soft and plastic be substantially that of a" in perspective with portions broken away showing the structure of the plastic 'terial rendered adhesive by heat.

and may be conformed quickly and accurately to the contour of the model. In this operation the sheet material acts very much as does its uncoated fabric base in that it readily stretches in conforming to convex curves and readily contracts in conforming to' concave curves, under all circumstances maintaining a continuous coating of substantially uniform thickness.

As suggested in Fig. 1 the back panel section I l is put in place first and then the front panel section 13 is conformed to the model with its longitudinal edges overlapping the edges of section M. In the conforming operation the panels may be trimmed to provide armholes and folded or trimmed about the shoulders and throat. The panel sections adhere .to the undergarment l2 and their overlapping edges become fused or welded together. When the panel sections are rendered plastic the bond between the two plies of the fabric base is more or less relaxed and in the conforming operation the two plies may slip to make relative adjustment in the form as a whole.

The conformed panel sections are now allowed to harden collectively upon the model. As already noted this will take place in not-over five or ten minutes as the shell is permitted to cool to rocnf temperature. The sections harden in this cooling operation and the two plies of the fabric base recement themselves in theirgconformed relation. As a result ofthe hardening operation the model is encased or partially encased in a light hard resilient shell of exactly the desired shape. This shell may now be rement l2 and remove it with the hardened sections. The portions of the garment may then be stripped from the concave surfaces of the shell sections and the sections are now ready to be reunited.

This may be effected by fusing or welding the severed edges of the sections by heat or by providing them with zipper fastener strips or by tacking them with strips I! of the sheet ma- The completed form is now ready for any desired finish- 4. The process of makinga from the model, and then uniting the divided portions of said shell.

2. Theprocess of making a dress form or the like from a human model provided with a protective garment, consisting in encasing the torso of a model in a hardened shell by adhesively applying to said garment and molding. to the.

contours of the model a plurality of panel sections of thermoplastic sheet material inlimp conformable and tacky condition, said sections of sheet-material comprising an elastic textile base impregnated with a thermoplastic composition having the characteristic of softening and becoming plastic in a narrow range of critical temperature and of stiifening throughout a relatlvely wide range of temperature, dividing the .molded and hardened shell and removing said torso of a model temporarily softened thermoplastic and tacky panel sections which include a double ply base of textile fabric impregnated and coated on both sides with a thermoplastic compound, permitting the conformed panels to harden on the model and causing them to adhere thereto, and subsequently uniting them into an integral shell.

like from a human model provided with a close -v torso of a model temporarily softened and tacky thermoplastic panel' sectionsv which include a double ply of knitted fabric impregnated and coated on. both sides with a thermoplastic compound and which are applied withthe maximum q stretch of the fabric heightwise of the model,

hardening the conformed panels at room 'temperature in adherent contact with the said garment, and subsequently uniting them in an integral shell.

5. In the process of making dress forms from a living model provided with a protective vest, the steps which consist in applying to said vest and molding to the contours of the model a pluing operation and may then be finally mounted at the proper height upon a suitable stand. The present application is a continuation as to all common subject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 304,209, filed November 13,

1939, in which I have disclosed and claimed an 7 garment and molding to the contours of the torso of the model a plurality of torso-encasing panel sections of thermoplastic sheet-material in limp conformable condition and causing said sections to adhere to said garment, said sections of sheetmaterial comprising an elastic textile base impregnated with a thermoplastic composi tion being conformably plastic at a temperature of about 140 F., dividing the molded and hardened shell thus formed and removing said shell 'rality of sections of stretchable thermoplastic sheet material in heated and conformable plastic condition and with their margins overlapping each other, and then allowing the sections to cool and collectively harden in conformed shape upon the model.

6. In the process of making dress forms from a living model provided with a protective vest, the steps which consist in adhesively applying to said vest and molding to the contours of the model a plurality of sections of stretchable thermoplastic sheet material in heated and conformable plastic condition and with their margins overlapping each other, and then allowing the sections to cooland collectively harden in conformed shape upon :the model and while adhering to the said vest.

7. In the process of making dress forms from a l1ving model provided with a protective vest, the steps which consist in applying to said vest and molding to the contours of the model a plurality of sections of stretchable thermoplastic material in heated conformable plastic condition and with their margins overlapping each other, adhesively uniting the margins of the sections into a continuous shell upon the model. cooling and hardening the shell, opening and dress form or the and overlapping sections in a shell upon the removing the hardened shell, and then uniting the opened shell in an integral form.

8. In the process of making dress forms from a living model provided with a protectivevest, the steps which consist in applying a molten com- 7 position of vegetable wax, rubber, beeswax and resin to a textile base and hardening the same into a flexible non-tacky sheet, then'heating separate sections of the sheet to render'them plastic and adhesive, conforming the said sec-10 tions in this condition to the contours of a model with the margins of the sections overlappingeach other and so that they are temporarily retained in place, cooling and hardening the conformed model, "and then opening and removing the hardened shell.

9. The'process of making dress forms or the like from human models, which consists in heating and softening thermoplastic sheet material 0 which has the property of being rendered tacky and soft by heat and of remainingin softened condition until cooled substantially" below-its initial softening point temperature, conforming the softened sheet material to the contour of the model while it is cooling through a range of temperature below its said softening point, adhesively uniting the edges of the sheet material'lnto'a continuous shell upon the modeL-co'oling and hardening the shell, opening and removing the hardened shell, and reuniting the. shell in in tegral form.

10. The process of making molded forms "which consists in applying to a textile base a molten composition of vegetable wax, "rubber, beeswax and resin having the property of being" rendered tacky and soft by heat and of remaining soft until cooled substantially below its initialsoftening point temperature, hardeningthe textile'base with its applied composition into a flexible, nontacky sheet, then heating pieces of the sheet to render them flexible 'and adhesive, conforming the said pieces in this condition to a model and continuing the conforming operation while the composition is cooling below its softening point, cooling and hardening the conformed shell upon the model, and then opening and removing the hardened shell.

11. The process of making molded forms which includes the steps of applying to a double-ply textile base amolten composition of vegetable wax, rubber, beeswax and resin which has the property of being rendered soft by heat, and of remaining soft until cooled substantially below its softening point temperature, then heating pieces of the sheet to render them plastic and adhesive, conforming separate pieces in softened condition to a model and continuing the conforming operation through a range of temperature below the softening point of the composi- 60 self-sustaining shell,

tion while the two plies. of the textile base are free to slip and make relative adjustment in the form as a whole, cooling and hardening the conformed and adherent piecesin a shell upon the model and then removing the hardened shell.

'12. A dress form comprising a plurality of thermoplastic sections marginally united into a said sections f having a stretchable fabric base impregnated and coated with a composition of approximately 30 parts candelilla'wax, 10 parts rubber, 10 parts beeswax and 50-parts'resin, and forming a shell which is stifi and resilient at room temperature. 4

'13. In theprocess of making dress forms from a living ,model provided with a; protective vest,

the steps which consist in adhesively applying to and assembling upon said vest and molding to the contours-of the model a plurality of sections of stretchable thermoplastic sheet material in heated and conformable plastic condition, and allowing the plurality of sections. to cool and harden. collectively in conformed shape upon a the model.

- 14.-1n"the process'of making dressforms from a living model provided with a protective vest, the steps which. consist in assembling upon said vest and molding to the contours of the model a pluralityof sections of stretchablethermoplastic sheet-material in heated and conformable plastic condition, and so making substantially complete circumferential encasement of the torso of the model; andallowing the plurality of sections to cool and harden collectively in conformedshape upon the model.

15. The process'of making dress forms which is characterized bythe steps of providing panels ofthermoplastic sheet material having a. knitted fabric base more stretchable in one direction than the other, heating'the panels to render them.

pliable, applying the heated panels to a model with maximum stretch of the fabric base effective longitudinally of the body of the model, stiffening the panels upon the model by cooling,

separating and removing the conformed panels from. the model, and subsequently uniting them in an integral shell.

16. In the process of making dress forms from a model provided with a protective vest, the steps which consist in adhesively applying to and assembling upon said'vest and molding to the contours of the model a plurality of sections of stretchable thermoplastic sheet material in heated and conformable plastic condition, allowing the plurality of sections to cool and harden collectively in conformed shape upon the model to form a hardened shell, dividing .and removing the shell and the vest from the model, removing the vest from the shell, and reuniting the divided portions of said shell apart from the vest.

STANLEY P. LOVELL.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,285,376. June 2, 19m."

bf the above 'npmbersd. patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, sec-.- ond colum n, line 6, for "80 F." read --l25.-F.--; page 5,, first colpmn,

line 69, cleiim 1, after the wordflconfomable" insert --and tackyarid P H nry 'vm mane; (Seal) Acting Commis 101161, of Patents, 

